When size matters

So you have a 10-incher and she still complains about it being tiny.

Don't worry, she isn't talking about your Android tablet, she's talking about the Analog Clock widget and now the solution is just a click away.

It's time to stop being ashamed and enlarge that Clock of yours because guess what? Size matters...

Get it here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apedroid.clockwidget

Watch out for flying pigs

I wouldn't be surprised if pigs started to fly soon, because guess what, Spotify no longer looks like this on my tablets...

...and Google Play can no longer be unsecured by clearing it's data:

The Samsung Galaxy S4 that I first pre-ordered and then canceled after trying a Nexus 4 because I realized how much I missed using Android the way it was supposed to look without any Touchwiz, Sense or other manufacturer added crap^H^H^H^Hmodifications will soon also be sold with an non-modifed Android.

And HTC follows with their flag ship model HTC One making me actually consider a HTC as my next phone (No offense Samsung but having had an S3 recently before switching to a Nexus 4 makes it feel a bit boring to get a new Samsung that looks almost the same as the last one I had).

Now let's hope more manufacturers follow Samsungs and HTCs example...

... and if it isn't to much to ask for, a flying pig? Or at least an Android 4.3 release soon?

Binary translation vs native x86 code

I recently bought an Asus Fonepad partly because I wanted to test an Intel based Android device. It turned out it's a really nice device and surprisingly almost everything I tried on it worked well. I didn't expect this since many apps contains native code and a lot of them only comes with native code compiled for ARM based devices.

After some research I found out that Intel based Android devices comes with a library (libhoudini.so) that uses binary translation to translate native ARM code into native x86 code. This explains the very good app compatibility but it also made me wonder how much performance we give up for compatibility.

As I noticed that the Epic Citadel app performed almost identical on my Nexus 4 and the Fonepad I had a look into the apk and noticed it comes with native code for both ARM and x86 devices. That gave me an idea and I created two versions of the apk. On version only contains the native ARM code and the other only the native x86 code. That allowed me to do a comparison and here's the results.

The tests was made on an Asus Fonepad with firmware version 3.1.17 and version 1.0.5 of the Epic Citadel app.

First out is the version with only native ARM code:

Then another run with the version with only native x86 code:

As you can see the version with native x86 code scored over 40% better compared to the version that relied on binary translation.

So while the binary translation is a good thing for compatibility there is also a risk that developers takes the easy route and decides not to include native x86 code for their apps.

Manually updating your Nexus 7 (wifi only) to Android 4.2.2

I've also manually updated a Nexus 7 (wifi only) using the same method as I used on my Nexus 10.

This is totally done at your own risk but it worked fine for me.

Since this is an update that patches the already installed system I strongly advice against trying this on anything but an non-rooted JOD40D device. 

Just follow the same steps as in the Nexus 10 guide but use this OTA file instead.

Manually updating your Nexus 10 to Android 4.2.2

I just manually updated my non-rooted, stock Nexus 10 from Android 4.2.1 (JOD40D) to Android 4.2.2 (JDQ39).

This is totally done at your own risk but here is what worked for me.

Since this is an update that patches the already installed system I strongly advice against trying this on anything but an non-rooted JOD40D device.

• Download the JOD40D to JDQ39 update.
• Make sure you have ADB up and running. I used this guide.
• Turn off the Nexus 10.
• Start the Nexus 10 while holding down both volume up and down.
• You should get an Android lying on it's back and some device information.

• Press volume down until the left vertical text says "RECOVERY MODE"

• Press power to reboot into recovery mode. 
• You'll now get a smaller Android robot, still on it's back, with a red triangle.

• Hold power and press once on volume up to enter the recovery menu.

• Press volume down to select "apply update from ADB"
• Press power once.
• It will now tell you to type "adb sideload <filename>" so connect the Nexus 10 to your computer with the USB cable if you have not already done so.

• On the computer type "adb sideload eaef14432ff5.signed-mantaray-JDQ39-from-JOP40D.eaef1443.zip" and watch the magic happen.

Nexus 10 - Unboxing and first look

Santa was early this year and today my Nexus 10 arrived.

Carefully opening the box reveals the Nexus 10 complete with protective plastic.

Under the Nexus 10 we find the charger, a UK plug for the charger, a micro USB cable, a quickstart guide and some warranty information. The majority of the space in the box is occupied by air.

After removing the unnecessary parts (protective plastic, quickstart guide and warranty information) this is what remains.

Actually the UK plug is useless for me and Handtec had promised to include an international adapter but they had forgot to include it. However they quickly responded to my mail and promised the send me one. Luckily I have a lot of micro USB chargers so I'll manage for now.

Side by side comparison with my Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9.

Thickness seems pretty much the same but the Nexus 10 is thinner at the shorter edges while the Galaxy Tab 8.9 has the same thickness on all the sides (Nexus 10 to the left).

 The Galaxys Tab on top of the Nexus 10.

After a short time of using the Nexus 10 it got a 60Mb OTA upgrade. Not sure what changed but I do not think it had the lock screen widgets before the upgrade (but I could be wrong).

Compared to my Tegra2 based tablets it's really fast but someone who compared the Nexus 10 with a Galaxy Note 10.1 felt that the Note 10.1 was slightly more responsive. Considering the massive amount of pixels the Nexus 10 has to push I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't the fastest tablet in all benchmarks. High resolutions usually has a price. However so far I feel it is "fast enough" and the screen is really good. Although I still consider the screen on my Galaxy Tab 8.9 to be very good with it's 1280x800 pixels you can easily see the difference when you compare it to the Nexus 10.

I have not had that much time to play with it yet but it runs Netflix perfectly and I also tried hooking it up to my 42inch plasma using a micro HDMI cable it it worked as intended.

The only thing that I'd like to chamge is the placement of the virtual buttons that in Android 4.2 is centered and not left aligned as they are on tablets with Android 3.0 to 4.1. I'm used to reaching the buttons with the left thumb even in landscape mode and with this new centered buttons the joints in my left thumb are already starting to hurt.

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

I finally gave in and preordered a Google Nexus 10 from the UK as I've seen no date on when it will be available here in Sweden.

Looks like a very nice device and I want to get my hands on Android 4.2 but since I recently bought a Samsung Galaxy S III I cannot really motivate getting a Google Nexus 4. At least not for now.

Funny that a 10-inch tablet has a higher screen resolution than my 42-inch plasma and my 23-inch computer displays at work but I'm not complaining. However, it is not the high res display that I'm most looking forward to try, but rather the features of Android 4.2. Finally tablets will get multiuser support which is something I've felt been missing since I got my first tablet.

Now... if I only had a time machine...

I'll try to make some unboxing photos when it arrives but I suppose the net will flooded with Nexus 10 unboxing pics and videos by then so I may not bother.

Android 4.1.2 on the Galaxy Tab 8.9

CyanogenMod 10 (Android 4.1.2) running on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wifi (P7310)

Follow the progress here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1777398

Official ICS from P7510 running on P7310

Samsung has yet not released any official Android 4.0.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wifi but luckily the recently released kernel sources for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wifi also contains the parts needed to compile a working kernel for the Samsung Galaxy 8.9 Wifi.

So all that was needed was to replace the kernel + modules and add ro.sf.hwrotation=90 to build.prop and the P7510 (SGT 10.1 Wifi) firmware works on the P7310 (SGT 8.9 Wifi).

While I haven't played around very much with it yet, everything seems to work except for the compass that is a bit off (which was expected).

For those who are brave (or stupid) enough to try it, go here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1834325

Jelly Bean on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wifi

Spent some time kanging Pershoots Jelly Bean (Android 4.1.1) modifications for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wifi and applied them to the Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wifi repos. Guess what. It runs really well. Thanks Pershoot and the rest of the CyanogenMod team.

Go here to try it out.